Method and apparatus for ironing or pressing laundry



Jan. 12, 1932.

M. F. HUEBSCH 1,840,956 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IRONING OR. PRESSING LAUNDRY Filed July 26, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0 ll' ui.

INVENTOR.

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INVENTOR. QMF/Mab Qm r/Zw f 'AwX ATTORNEYJ Jan 12, 1932. M. F. HUEBSCH METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IRONING OR PRESSING LAUNDRY Filed July 26, 1930 Patented Jan. 12, 19 32 PATENT OFFICE MONTE F. HUEBSCE, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN METHOD AN D APPARATUS FOR IRONING OR TRESSING LAUNDRY Application'filed July 26, 1980. Serial No. 470,835.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for ironing or pressing laundry, and more particularly wearing apparel.

The ironing of wearing apparel either in the commercial laundry or the home has always presented a production problem due to the. many difierences in size, shape, ma-

terial, and'style of the garments.

Articles such as sheets, table cloths, tow els, etc., of fiat shape can be efficiently ironed with roll type ironers known as mangles such as are used in laundries and homes. It would be obviously unsatisfactory to put wearing apparel shaped to fit the body through such an ironer. Wearing apparel has been ironed by means of a flat-iron and ironing board, though frequently the hand work has been supplemented by platen presses and roll type ironing machines.

The ironing of a garment on an ironing board with a flateiron requires first that a section of the garment be straightened out on the board. The operator then takes the flatiron with one hand and irons the straightened portion of the garment. The iron is then laid aside and'the garment rearranged and a'newsection straightened out on the board to be ironed with the flat-iron. The operation of a platen laundry press is similar except that the heated surface is larger and israised and lowered usually by external power. Both in the'case ofthe hand ironing and pressing above described, the garment can be moved only when the heated iron and the padded member are widely separated. In the case of the roll type ironer certain flat sections of the garments can be brought between the two members without separating them, but only in the direction of rotation of the roll. It will be apparent that a considerable increase in efficiency will result if the operator is not required to bring together.

and separate the two members for each change in position of the garment being mined. time in the cycle of operation of the machine before shifting the garments position or, as in the case 0 rotary ironer, is not limited to only one direction of feed.

While aware that various modifications in ironed or to wait until a certain predeterpressing, sliding, rotating and form type lroners have heretofore been proposed, none of these so far as I have been able to ascertain from the patented art and the actual v commercial art embody the principles of my the heated iron surfaces of ordinary ironing devices but the method of using these members and the manipulating of the goods undergoing treatment is. decidedly different from known methods and practices, and does I believe constitute what may be said to be a new art of ironing. The essence of my invention is the rapid movement or vibration of the iron and the pad into and out of contact with each other while the goods are moved between them by the operator. An entirely new and desirable result is obtained by this vibratory action in that it per mits free movement of the fabric in any lateral direction between the ironin members while they are in a state ofvibratlon. Thus a pressing and ironing takes place while at the same time the fabric is free to be moved in any direction and to be readily removed from the pressin zone.

The invention urther consists in the method of and apparatus for ironing laundry as hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig; 1 is a side elevation view of an apparatus for carrying out the method;

' Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame;

Fig. 3 is rear end elevation view of the apparatus. V w

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 4 designates a base having a curved arm standard 5 projecting therefrom and to which any suitable, gas, electric or steam heated iron 6 is secured at the outer end thereof.

The numeral 7 designates a table or board secured at its inner end 'to a bracket or ledge 8 provided on the standard below the iron and slotted at 9 to allow thefree working of an oscillatory lever ormember 10, pivotally supported intermediate end on a' pin 11 i the lower end of the arm 19 of the lever 10.

Upon the outer end of the arm 20 of said lever 10 a pad or padded member 21 is mounted formovement by said lever against the heated surface of the iron 6;

With the above construction when the motor 14 isrunning, a rapid oscillatory or reciprocatory movement of small amplitude or what I define as a vibratory movement is imparted to the pad member 21 through the swinging of the lever 10 under the action of the eccentric 16 and the rod 17 This movement is so fast-that. it does not in any way interfere with the free movement of the work between the members and to facilitate the operators handling of the work a skeleton frame in the form of a round rod 22 extends around adjacent the iron with its top on about the level of the heated surface of said iron and is secured at its rear ends 23 to the standard 5.

The above described construction is an illustration of a simple structure for carrying out my new method of ironing. In this connection it may be pointed out that the position of the pad and the iron may be reversed so that the iron is the moving member and it is also to be noted that both of the members ma be mounted for vibratory movement to and om each other as shown here in connection with one of them, and that there are many ways of securing the vibratory movement of these parts into and out of contact with each other other than that specifically I mean by a vibratory movement of the iron-v shown. g

As previously noted the essence of my new method of ironing is the rapid movement or vibration of the iron and the pad into and out of contact with each other while the work is moved between them. An entirely new and desirable result is obtained by the vibratory action above described in that it permits free movement of the work in any lateral direction between the ironing members while they 7 arein astateofvibration. Dictionariesbroad- 1y define vibration as a reciprocating, oscillating or to and fro movement. The more widely accepted and generally recognized definition of .vibrationhowever is a rapid oscillation or reciprocation of small amplitude for example the movement of an air hammeras distinguished from that of a pile driver. As a qualitative definition of what ing members I would point out that the movement of the members relative to each other -move the goods across the pressin is at such a speed that neither the open nor the contact positions ofthese members are cognizable to the operator as such. The effect produced seems to the operator as though he were simply placing the work between two closely positioned stationary members. As a quantitive definition of what I mean by vibration in accordance with this method I would say that if the impulses were appreciablybelow two hundred a minute and the maximum distance of separation of the members were more than an inch and a half that the desired effect would not be produced.

Preferably I impart vibrations to the ironing members at a rate of between 850 to 1150 impulses per minute and have a distance of about three-eighths to a half inch on maximum separation of the members though greater number of impulses can be used and other variations of course than those specifically stated may be employed without departing from my invention. An important difference also between the present method and prior practice and machines is that the prior machines contemplates the separation of the ironing members to such a distance that the hands of the operator can be brought between the members for the adjustment of position of the work whereas with the pres ent invention the separation of the two ironing members need only be suflicient to allow the thickness of the fabrics, buttons and seams to move freely. The fabrics are positioned and moved between the two members 6 and 21 outside the area of contact thereof, the frame 22 '-assisting the operator in this movement. Another characteristic efi'ect jected to repeated ironing operations as the operator can only move a small area of the goods into and out of the pressing region at any one time so that the goods or work is thus gradually fed between the pressing members instead of at intervals and the operator does not have to stop the feedingoperation but may continue to uninterruptedly zone. This of course makes for an increase 1n production. of the work'as compared to known method and furthermore the ironing of difficult parts of the garment may be accomplished with greaterfacility than by hand iromng.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. The method of ironing which consists in sub gecting the work to rapidly recurring pressmg contacts at a'rate that does not interfere with the free movementof the work in the pressing zone and yet establishes a number of pressing contacts on the work before that part of work undergoing pressing can be materially shifted out of the pressing zone.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of an ironing member and a pad member mounted for relative movement into and out of pressing contact with each other with one member disposed below the other, means for imparting a rapid vibratory movement to the lower member, and work supporting means adjacent the plane of pressing contact of said members on which thework is adapted to be supported during the periods when said lower member is out of pressing contact.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of an ironing member, a pad member mounted for movement relative to said ironing member and below the same,

' means for imparting a rapid vibratory movement to said pad member, and a relatively narrow work support disposed adjacent the peripheries of said members in the region of the plane of pressing contact and over which the work is adapted to be held and supported when said pad member is out of pressing contact within the said ironing member.

In testimony whereof, 1 aifix my signature.

MGIQTE F. HUEBSCH. 

